Families of Schoharie limo victims say Legislature 'failed' them

1of58Jill Perez reads out Janet Steenburg's testimonial during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. Jill Perez is the mother of Matthew Coons, who lost his life in the Schoharie Oct. 6 limo crash. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union2of58Bob Ensign speaks during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. Ensign is a relative of a Schoharie victim and the owner of Ensign Autobody. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union3of58Susan Arundel names each of the victims and survivors of the Cutchogue crash during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. Arundel's daughter, Alicia Arundel, survived the Cutchogue crash. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan4of58

A picture is displayed of the eight women who were in the Cutchogue crash during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)

Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union5of58Kim Steenburg wipes away tears during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. Kim Steenburg lost her husband, Rich Steenburg, in the Schoharie Oct. 6 limo crash. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union6of58Nancy DiMonte speaks to the media after a press conference on the regulation reforms of limos and alternate forms of transportation on Thursday, June 6, 2019 at the Capitol in Albany, NY. DiMonte's daughter, Joelle M. DiMonte, was injured in the 2015 Cutchogue crash. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union7of58

Allison King, Abby Jackson, Amy Steenburg and Mary Dyson:

Four sisters - Allison King, Abby Jackson, Amy Steenburg and Mary Dyson - were among the 20 killed in a limo crash traveling for Amy's 30th birthday party in Schoharie on Oct. 6, 2018. Here they are pictured at Amy's wedding on June 30, 2018.Courtesy of All Occasions Photography8of58

Amy Steenburg, Axel Steenburg:

Amy and Axel Steenburg were married on June 30, 2018.Courtesy of All Occasions Photography9of58Rich Steenburg:

Rich Steenburg, right is seen with his brother Alex.Courtesy of All Occasions Photography.10of58Mary Dyson, Rob Dyson:

Mary and Rob Dyson were both killed in the crash. Here they are pictured at Mary’s sister Amy’s wedding day on June 30, 2018. Amy and her husband Axel were also both killed.

Adam and Abby Jackson were both killed in the crash. Here they are pictured at Abby’s sister’s Amy’s wedding day on June 30, 2018. Amy and her husband Axel were also both killed.Courtesy of All Occasions Photography.12of58Erin McGowan, Shane McGowan:

Erin and Shane McGowan celebrated their wedding in June 2018. Courtesy of Anthony Vertucci13of58Scott Lisinicchia:

Scott Lisinicchia was the driver of the limousine, which was owned by Prestige Limousine of Wilton, New York.Courtesy of a GoFundMe page created by Thea X14of58Rachael Cavosie:

Rachael is survived by her parents, one sister and two brothers.Courtesy of a GoFundMe page created by Anthony Huff15of58Amanda Rivenburg:

An employee of a disability support organization Living Resources, was among the 20 killed.Courtesy of Living Resources16of58Savannah Bursese:

Savannah, 24, and her boyfriend, Matthew Coons, were both killed.

Courtesy of Amina Bursese17of58Savannah Bursese, Matthew Coons:

Savannah Bursese and her boyfriend, Matthew Coons, were both killed.Courtesy of a GoFundMe page created by Rachel Kowalczyk18of58Pat Cushing, Amanda Halse:

Halse, a 26-year-old waitress at Shaker Point in Watervliet and former floral designer, was killed along with her boyfriend Patrick Cushing. Cushing, 31, worked for the state Senate's Technology Services unit.

Courtesy of Michelle Radley19of58Michael Ukaj:

Ukaj, a Marine Corps veteran who lived in Johnstown, was killed on his 34th birthday

Courtesy of Mary Ashton20of58Brian Hough:

Brian Hough, 46, an assistant professor of geology at SUNY Oswego, was a bystander who was killed along with his father-in-law, James Schnurr, 70, of Kerhonkson, Ulster County.Courtesy of Jim Russell, SUNY Oswego21of58James Schnurr:

Schnurr, 70, of Kerhonkson, Ulster County, was a bystander who was killed along with his son-in-law, Brian Hough, 46, an assistant professor of geology at SUNY Oswego.

Provided22of58Mourners line up calling hours for Schoharie limo crash victim Patrick Cushing at Riley Mortuary Friday Oct. 12, 2018 in Amsterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)John Carl D'Annibale/Albany Times Union23of58Mourners line up calling hours for Schoharie limo crash victim Patrick Cushing at Riley Mortuary Friday Oct. 12, 2018 in Amsterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)John Carl D'Annibale/Albany Times Union24of58Forensics Investigator from the New York State Police walks past a makeshift memorial at the site of the limousine accident Near the Apple Barrell tourist spot Tuesday Tuesday Oct.8, 2018 in Schoharie, N.Y. that took the lives of twenty people last weekend. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)SKIP DICKSTEIN25of58

Front view of the 2001 Ford Excursion limousine included in the National Transportation Safety Board's report on the Oct. 6, 2018, limousine crash in Schoharie that killed 20 people.

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Side view of the 2001 Ford Excursion limousine included in the National Transportation Safety Board's report on the Oct. 6, 2018, limousine crash in Schoharie that killed 20 people.

National Transportation Safety Board27of58

Distraught family members are seen going through objects at the scene of an accident that happened next to the Apple Barrel Cafe at Rt. 30 at Rt. 30A Saturday afternoon involving a limo carrying a party on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 in Schoharie, N.Y. 20 people are reported to have died in the accident. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)

Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union28of58

A 2001 Ford Excursion enhanced limo owned by Prestige Limousine is pulled from the crash scene on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. The company's SUV-style stretch limousine crashed at 1:55 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Route 30 and Route 30A, killing the driver, 17 passengers and two bystanders who were standing outside the Apple Barrel Country Store in Schoharie. (Photo courtesy of WRGB (CBS-6)

Photo courtesy of WRGB (CBS-6)29of58Debris scatters an area Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at the site of yesterday's fatal crash Schoharie, N.Y.Hans Pennink/AP30of58

Members of the NTSB arrive at the scene of an accident that happened next to the Apple Barrel Cafe at Rt. 30 at Rt. 30A Saturday afternoon involving a limo carrying a party on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 in Schoharie, N.Y. 20 people are reported to have died in the accident. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)

Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union31of58The makeshift memorial is decorated with many flowers and mums at the site of the limousine accident that took the lives of 20 people Monday Oct.22, 2018 in Schoharie, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)SKIP DICKSTEIN/Albany Times Union32of58

The makeshift memorial is made at the site of the limousine accident that took the lives of 20 people on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, in Schoharie, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

SKIP DICKSTEIN/Albany Times Union33of58

Members of the NTSB survey the scene of an accident that happened next to the Apple Barrel Cafe at Rt. 30 at Rt. 30A Saturday afternoon involving a limo carrying a party on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 in Schoharie, N.Y. 20 people are reported to have died in the accident. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)

Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union34of58

A lone National Transportation Safety Board member remained at the scene Wednesday morning of the limousine crash in Schoharie that killed 20 people on Saturday.

Skip Dickstein / Times Union35of58Family and friends sign an Amsterdam Strong banner at the end of a vigil for the victims of the limousine crash in Schoharie at The Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018 in Amsterdam, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union36of58Family and friends hug each other during a vigil for the victims of the limousine crash in Schoharie at The Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018 in Amsterdam, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union37of58People on a bridge hold candles during a vigil for the victims of the limousine crash in Schoharie at The Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018 in Amsterdam, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union38of58Amsterdam High team captains, from left,Trey Ausfeld, Andrew Giaimo and Peyton Ausfeld carry the jersey of alum Adam "Action" Jackson, a victim of the Schoharie limo crash to the coin toss at the start of their game against La Salle Friday Oct. 12, 2018 in Amsterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)John Carl D'Annibale39of58State Police Superintendent George Beach speaks during a press conference to talk about charges brought against Nauman Hussain in connection with Saturday?•s deadly limo crash on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, during a press conference at Troop G headquarters in Latham, N.Y. (Will Waldron/Times Union)Will Waldron/Albany Times Union40of58Nauman Hussain, operator of Prestige Limousine, left, arrives for his arraignment at Cobleskill Town Court for his involvement in the Schoharie limo crash on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Cobleskill, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union41of58

The tent State Police used to house the wrecked limousine during their investigation of the crash that killed 20 people in Schoharie County remains in place behind the Troop G headquarters Thursday Dec. 20, 2018 in Latham, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

Top image shows side view of the 3D image of the limousine involved in the Oct. 6, 2018 crash in Schoharie with an overlaid reconstruction of the vehicle’s pre-crash structure. Bottom image shows overhead view of post-crash 3D image of the limousine with an overlaid reconstruction of the vehicle’s precrash structure.

National Transportation Safety Board44of58Mourners embrace after a Mass of Christian Burial held for Schoharie limo crash victims Shane McGowan and Erin (Vertucci) McGowan at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 in Amsterdam, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union45of58Mourners during services for Schoharie limo crash victim Matthew William Coons, 27, of Johnstown at Fonda Fultonville Central Schools Saturday Oct. 13, 2018 in Fonda, NY> (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)John Carl D'Annibale46of58Photos and urns set up on the altar, from left, Allison A. King, Amy (King) Steenburg, Axel J. Steenburg and Richard Steenburg Jr., at St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church Saturday Oct. 13, 2018 in Amsterdam, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)John Carl D'Annibale/Albany Times Union47of58Mourners pass by a display of family photos of Matthew William Coons, 27, of Johnstown at Fonda Fultonville Central Schools Saturday Oct. 13, 2018 in Fonda, NY> (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)John Carl D'Annibale48of58Mourners leave St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church during calling hours for Schoharie limo crash victims; Abigail (King) Jackson, Adam "Action" Jackson, Mary (King) Dyson, Robert J. Dyson, Allison A. King, Amy (King) Steenburg, Axel J. Steenburg and Richard Steenburg Jr., on Friday Oct. 12, 2018, in Amsterdam, N.Y. Funeral service will take place at the church on Saturday. (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union)John Carl D'Annibale49of58Kim Steenburg wipes away tears during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. Kim Steenburg lost her husband, Rich Steenburg, in the Schoharie Oct. 6 limo crash. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union50of58Janet M. Steenburg breaks down in tears while trying to testify during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. Janet Steenburg is the mother of Axel and Rich Steenburg who were killed in the Schoharie Oct. 6 limo crash. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union51of58Bob Ensign speaks during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. Ensign is a relative of a Schoharie victim and the owner of Ensign Autobody. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union52of58Senator James N. Tedisco speaks to the relatives of the victims from the Cutchogue and Schoharie crashes before the start of the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union53of58NYS Department of Transportation Ron Epstein speaks during the State Standing Committee on Transportation hearing on "Limo and Bus Safety" on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, NY. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times Union54of58The National Safety Transportation Board released this image of the Oct. 6, 2018, limo crash site in Schoharie, N.Y. in a Feb. 11, 2019, preliminary report. The NTSB is investigating the crash in order to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.NTSB55of58The National Safety Transportation Board released this image of the Oct. 6, 2018, limo crash site in Schoharie, N.Y. in a Feb. 11, 2019, preliminary report. The NTSB is investigating the crash in order to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.NTSB56of5857of58Nauman Hussain, the operator of Prestige Limousine, leaves his arraignment at Schoharie County Court on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 in Schoharie, N.Y. Hussain had to post $450,000 bond and must wear a GPS. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union58of58Attorney Lee Kindlon talks to the press about his client Nauman Hussain, the operator of Prestige Limousine, after Hussain's arraignment at Schoharie County Court on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 in Schoharie, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union

Albany

Families of the victims of the Schoharie limousine crash that killed 20 people last year blasted leaders of both the Assembly and the state Senate for failing to pass a package of limo safety bills earlier this month.

The inaction came despite the heartfelt pleas the families made just weeks ago at the Capitol.

"The New York state legislative session has now ended with little substantive legislative action that would address limousine safety — limousine safety measures that could very well have saved the lives of the 20 members of our collective families," the families said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon. "To say we are disappointed is an understatement. Our disappointment now turns to anger as legislators finger point and play the blame game (with) the Senate blaming the Assembly and the Assembly blaming the Senate."

Several family members of victims of the Oct. 6 crash in Schoharie, along with family members from the 2015 limo crash on Long Island that killed a group of four friends, gathered with state Sen. Tim Kennedy, chair of the Senate's transportation committee, back on June 6 at the Capitol to endorse a package of nine limo safety bills.

The bills, which passed the Senate unanimously, were never taken up by the Assembly, which instead passed its own package of limo bills just days before the end of the legislative session.

Last week on June 18, a group of the Long Island families even created a YouTube video urging the Assembly to take up the Senate bills.

"We respectfully tell you (the Assembly) that you have provided a roadblock on the last leg of our journey toward safety," Nancy DiMonte, whose daughter was one of four survivors of the Long Island crash, said in the YouTube video.

The next day, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assembly Transportation Committee Chair William Magnarelli put out a press release touting their passage of six limo safety bills.

Only one bill, regarding insurance coverage that corrected an earlier bill that had already passed, matched up with the Senate's bills.

"Unfortunately the Assembly dropped the ball. Unfortunately the families were let down," Kennedy told the Times Union on Sunday.

Magnarelli blamed the Senate, saying the bills were sent to the Assembly without any co-sponsors.

The Schoharie families appear not to be in any mood for hearing who is to blame. Their statement was issued through Kevin Cushing, father of victim Patrick Cushing. Kevin Cushing said he and the other family members that put the statement together waited until they could understand exactly what had happened with the Senate bills they had endorsed.

"The reality is that New York state government failed us," the Schoharie families said in their statement. "They failed the Cutchogue families in Long Island. They've failed the next limousine victims that will perish needlessly because the state failed to act. We are now being told to wait until the next legislative session in January 2020."

Kennedy's package of bills would have required limo drivers to go through drug and alcohol testing and obtain a commercial driver's license with a passenger endorsement, neither of which the driver in the Schoharie crash had done.

The new regulations would have also required seat belts in all stretch limos with nine or more passengers while also requiring GPS systems and increasing penalties for illegal U-turns. Another bill required the state Department of Transportation to create a phone app that would allow people to file complaints about problem limos. A task force was also envisioned to look at other potential safety enhancements, including rear-view cameras, air bags and speed restriction devices.

Kennedy held a Senate transportation committee hearing in May on limo safety in which many of the Schoharie and Long Island families testified, along with limo company owners. However, Kennedy was the only member of the senate transportation committee who attended. The Assembly was not involved in the hearing.

Cushing said the Schoharie crash victims' families made a last-minute push last Tuesday with the Assembly as well, but soon realized it was too late in the process to get the Senate bills passed.

The Schoharie crash families urged Gov. Cuomo to call a special session so that the Legislature can pass the limo bills without waiting until next year.

"Yes, you do work for us, so if that means a special session, then yes, the governor needs to call a special session," the Schoharie families said. "We are willing to give those legislators a second chance.... something the victims of October 6th never received."

Larry Rulison has been a reporter for the Albany Times Union since 2005.

His decades-long career in journalism began in 1994 when he was hired as the editor for a small-town upstate New York weekly known as the Canastota Bee-Journal. He later worked at the Fayetteville Eagle Bulletin, the Baldwinsville Messenger and the Adirondack Daily Enterprise in Saranac Lake. He has covered business since 1998, working for Mutual Fund Market News in Boston and later the Baltimore Business Journal and Philadelphia Business Journal.

Larry's reporting for the Times Union has won several awards for business and investigative journalism from the New York State Associated Press Association and the New York News Publishers Association.